His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 17

I woke up in my

bed alone, and for the first time in the past month, it didn’t feel like I was forced to be in this house. It had oddly begun feeling like home.

For the first time in a month after we got married, I wore my wedding rings. For the first time, that ring was not a reminder of me being a prisoner in this fairytale-ish nightmare, but a reminder of my husband’s words last night.

I don’t share what belongs to me, Sofia; and for the next five months, that includes you!

I knew Gabriel worked on weekends too, and observing him in the past month, I knew enough to know he would spend more time than ever at work now that he just returned from London after almost a week.

I was on my own, and I figured it would be nice to go visit my grandfather for the day. He had shifted back home this last week, and it was the first time he was living alone since I got back from my school in Seoul. He had never stayed alone, especially not after being diagnosed with cancer.

My maiden home was a good three hours away from the city, in the outskirts. My hometown wasn’t poor, it was just isolated and small and quiet, the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, and everyone loves to talk.

I contemplated about calling Gabriel from the moment I left to the time I was just a few minutes away. My hesitation came from the fact that I hadn’t updated him of my whereabouts any until now, and I didn’t want him to think I became clingy or wife-like just because he had seen me naked.

Finally, I kept those thoughts aside and decided to call any way. He answered the phone on the last ring, just when I about to disconnect. “Hello?” He sounded busy, there was a little bustling around him, and I wondered why his office sounded so chaotic?

“Hi..” I trailed, and then I paused. Maybe he was not at work at all.

“Freckles, I have just a minute. Can you talk quick? I’ve gotta rush to a meeting.”

“Yeah sorry,” I shook my thoughts off. “I just called to let you know that I’ve gone to visit my grandfather”

“Okay,” He replied, “Are you planning to stay over for a few days or…?”

He sounded confused. Of course he was confused about why the f*ck had I called to give him this tiny update.

“No. I’ll be back tonight. Or tomorrow morning, ’cause I have work to finish before Monday.”

“Uh-huh.” He sounded distracted, “The painting you’re working on?”

“Oh no. There’s this file I have to read through, my boss explicitly asked-”

“Huh?” He cut me off.

“What?”

“File? Boss? What are you talking about, Freckles?”

working last week, didn’t

cut me off again, “Yeah, I remember. You said work, aren’t you

deadpanned, “I paint as a

was

was low, but he sounded serious. I suddenly had all his attention. “So are you telling me that you got out there and got a job? Like an actual job in a company under

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Chapter 17

“Y-Yeah.”

“Are

you frking serious, Freckles?”

Π

you if it would be okay for me to get

who needed a studio in the house.” He cut me off again, his

100.

that we’ve been married and didn’t take a single hour out of your schedule to know the most basic thing about

could see the driver’s eyes flicker to me from the rear view mirror as he pulled

house.

further to reply. “You were busy. You had just a minute. The minute is long over, so

I disconnected the call.

I headed to the house I had spent most of my childhood in, determined to have a good day without

Sof. We’ve been together since we were five.

over hers and she immediately pulls it away. I try not letting the hurt show. I knew this wasn’t going to be easy, mending what I had broken. I’m sorry, I really am. Everything just happened. And it’s not a love marriage, you

are true? You both were arranged

I nod.

rimmed specs on the bridge of her nose, pushing her blonde hair back before sighing. “You’re still my

a smile, “From the cradle to the grave,

ever ghost me again for a month straight, if you ever accidentally leave out an important detail of your life like getting married to some hot-shot

were just little girls together, always by my side even when I went

the next day I was told I had two days

best friend? How do you explain that to anyone- that you were getting married for money? That you weren’t even

I’ve missed you. Her smile was so incredibly sad that it almost broke my

no idea how much I have missed you too, Al,” I mumble, “I was so scared getting married to

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Chapter 17

shifting towns and God… it